Cafritz will rebuild art collection after fire

The Post's Reliable Source blog has an interview with Peggy Cooper Cafritz, who earlier this year lost her historic D.C. mansion in a fire -- and whose Georgetown rental apartment was recently hit by another one.

It was an unwelcome shock for the woman who lost a valuable art collection, and who now says:

"It's doubtful I'll be able to rebuild my collection as it was." Cafritz bought works from now-famous artists when they were relative unknowns; now similar pieces are selling for 10 times what she paid.

"I will continue to collect," she said. "I'll just have to start looking for new, younger artists."